Local Black community leaders share views on rising violence, national protests and controversial statues

Rowena Shaddox reports

HOPE THAT THIS HISTORICAL TIMEFINALLY BRINGS ABOUT SOMEPOSITIVE CHANGE.WE'RE LIVING IN A VERYDIFFICULT TIME RIGHT NOW THETIME OF PROTESTS ACROSS THECOUNTRY MANY DEMANDING POLICEREFORM.

AND THE QUALITY SOMELOCAL BLACK COMMUNITY LEADERSSAY PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY AREHURTING AT TIMES IN THESEMOMENTS.

THERE'S SO MANYINNOCENT YOUNG PEOPLE.BEING LOST.

SO WE SOMETIMESTHINK ALL OF IT PERTAINS GANGVIOLENCE AND IT'S NOT.SACRAMENTO HAS SEEN A SPIKEIN HOMICIDES 25 SINCE THEBEGINNING OF THE YEAR 17 OFTHOSE FROM APRIL UNTIL NOW THEMAJORITY OF VICTIMS BEINGYOUNG AND BLACK PASTOR SANDLERSAYS IT'S ESSENTIAL THATMEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVEA MORAL STANDARD IN LIFE TOHELP GUIDE US IN OUR DAILYDECISIONS WHETHER IT BE GOD ORSOMEWHERE ELSE BUT THE ABSENCEOF THAT MORAL STAND THATLEAVES US HOPE THAT EVERYTHINGGOES AND THEN EVERYTHING GOESLIKE THIS NOT SOMEONE'S LIFEIS NOT CONSIDERED IMPORTANTANYMORE AND THAT'S THE PROBLEMWE'VE GOT TO GET THE PLANESWERE KEPT CONVERSATIONS THESELOCAL LEADERS SAY PEOPLE AREFED UP AND THE TIME FOR CHANGEIS HAPPENING.

WE KNOW ALLLIVES MATTER.BUT UNTIL BLACK LIVESMATTER BLACK LIVES MATTERBECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES BEINGKILLED BY THE SAME PEOPLE THATWILL PULL YOU OVER ANDBASICALLY WRITE YOU A TICKETIN PULL US OVER AND WE MIGHTGET A GUN SHOT SOME PROTESTSHAVE DEMANDED THE DISMANTLINGOF POLICE DEPARTMENTS ORDEFUNDING THEM IN THE WAKE OFTHE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD SANFRANCISCO OAKLAND AND LOSANGELES HAVE ALREADY TAKENSTEPS TO REDIRECT FROM THEIRLOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS ANDPUT THE MONEY TOWARDCOMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS.PASTOR SANDLER CAUTIONS THOSETYPES OF CHANGES I THINK WHENYOU DO THAT YOU'RE YOU'REIGNORING THE FACT THAT A BIGREASON CRIME IS DOWN ISBECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF LAWENFORCEMENT AND IF YOU.IF YOU REDUCE THEIR BUDGET.THEN WHAT DOES THAT DO FORCALLS WHEN WE DO NEED HIM TOCALM EACH COMMUNITY LEADER WESPOKE WITH ONCE THE YOUTH OFTODAY TO KNOW THE HISTORY OFHOW WE GOT HERE, BUT ALLBELIEVE STATUES THAT SYMBOLIZEOPPRESSION AND INSTITUTIONALRACISM SHOULDN'T BEIMMORTALIZED WE DO NEED TOACKNOWLEDGE IT AND WE DO NEEDTO WORK TOGETHER TO MOVE PASTIT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AWITHIN ALL OF OUR INSTITUTIONAND IF YOU WANT TO STORMSOMEWHERE PUT THEM IN AMUSEUM.SOME PLACE AND I DON'T CARETO VISIT AND AS FAR ASCHANGING THE OUTDATED NAMES OFLOCAL SITES AND CITY NICKNAMESSUCH AS NIGRO BAR AND HANGTOWN BURGESS DOESN'T AGREE MYBIRTH CERTIFICATE IT SAYS THATMY FATHER'S AN EAGER ON MONEYGROW ARE WE GOING TO CHANGEFOR CERTIFICATES REMIND BORNIN THE 70'S.NO I KNOW THE HISTORY OFKOLOMA MY FAMILY CAME OVER IN1850.

SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT ASTANCE AND A SAY IN WHATHAPPENS UP THERE THAT BAR ITSHOULD BE I WANT TO TALK TOTHEM EITHER THE SAME AIR.

BUTI SAY LEAVE IT AND TEACHHISTORY AND AND WE SHOT IX FOX